#master carpenter

I started in props- really disliked it to say the least. So I moved to painting/scenic charge. Also not my style, it just was not for me. Then I moved into carpentry- and OH MAN carpentry unlocked a whole new world for me that revolved around creation and inspiration and aspiration and made me see every bit of architecture and art in a new way that still resides in me! So I moved into scenic design, I loved it. I jumped straight in and began to research more about theatre technology and design as a whole. I stumbled upon some cool lighting design but didn’t think much of it at the time. I made some models, designed some sets, actually created some of my designs! THEN I looked again and found a little more inspiration in lighting design. Everyone from the start said that I would go into lighting design. First of all, I’m tall and lanky which is the typical build of LD’s at my school, also as every great lighting designer is, I’m colorblind. I’m also really interested in math and ethereal things as well as shadows. SO I had the full package. 

NOW- I would have never found this passion if it had not been for my school, mu mentors/teachers, the stage crew club, the people in that club, and the multiple techblrs I’ve stumbled across that have made the experiences I’ve had in lighting design this amazing. I have just designed my first show all by myself. I have an incredible team of electricians I have been lucky to work with that I will endlessly brag about. I have found so much pride in what I have personally done for this show, which as LD has been A LOT- but also in what my crew has done independently and what we’ve accomplished together. 

I realize finding pride in what you do is hard, and finding the patience to read a 16 year old techie go on about how much she loves theatre tech is even harder- but hear me out when I say TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT YOU DO!!!

Even if you don’t love it, even if it’s not perfect, even if you didn’t finish your agenda, or meet the requirements, or pull the right color or texture, or focus it properly, or you just don’t feel motivated to do something. First of all- the show must go on. You literally have an audience waiting for this masterpiece you are about to present, they don’t know that you had to re-cut the facing 2 times, or remake your cutlist, or that you had multiple touch up focuses because the blocking didn’t fit your areas. I can’t imagine what went through the audience members minds when they saw Mary Poppins flying across stage during our winter musical, even though someone cut her hand open backstage doing it, or when they saw a railing fall apart in front of them but somehow they also did fight choreography on it? But they didn’t see the time spent teaching the actors how to pull the hinge properly so they could sit in on it as well. 

In theatre it’s unfair to say “The only person you have to impress is yourself” because that’s just not true. You have an audience waiting. You have a world- realistic or the underground of some ethereal setting, awaiting your mind and creativity to attack it with all your might because as a designer, a technician, stagehand, carpenter, sound tech, engineer, props maker, magic doer, costume designer/tech, makeup artist, and everyone in between- this is your world. Your muse is waiting to be found and you will find it.

Commentary – The Master Builder – How The Role of Architects has Evolved and Where You Can Find the Modern Version of the Master Builder

Over the past few months, I have had a few of notable interactions where the role of Architects in construction was the topic of conversation. Design-Builder The first interaction was when I received a call from a Construction Manager friend and ex-colleague who wanted to know, “Are there ever circumstances under which I would recommend a Design-Build delivery model to a Client?” It was a…